Central State University student Nya Brunson accepted into prestigious Princeton REACH Program

Central State University is proud to announce that Nya Brunson, a graduating senior majoring in Journalism and Digital Media, has been selected for the highly competitive Princeton University Research, Equity, Archives, Curation, and History (REACH) Program. 

The program, held on Princeton’s historic campus, provides an immersive experience in archival studies, featuring lectures, discussions, hands-on workshops, and field trips led by Princeton faculty, special collections staff, and experts from participating Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Participants engage in interactive learning, visit cultural institutions, and network with fellow HBCU students and mentors. 

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Brunson, a native of Glenwood, Illinois, discovered her passion for archiving during an internship at the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center, operated by Ohio History Connection and located on CSU’s campus. “I had no idea about archiving before,” she shared. “I knew I liked history and have always been interested in museums, but I never thought about the behind-the-scenes aspects — how artifacts and information are stored and preserved.” 

Her newfound interest in archival studies, coupled with her journalism background, made the REACH Program a perfect fit. “I saw it as a great opportunity, and since it’s fully covered, it made sense to apply,” Brunson said. “The program is designed specifically for HBCU students, and I’m excited to gain hands-on experience working with artifacts and historical documents.” 

Dr. Colin Lasu, Assistant Professor of Communications at Central State, nominated Brunson for the program, praising her dedication and work ethic. 

“Nya has been a standout student, consistently demonstrating reliability by attending class on time and actively engaging in discussions,” Dr. Lasu said. “She exemplifies diligence and conscientiousness in all her work. Last semester, she went above and beyond by transforming her podcast final project into an honors in-class assignment, producing an audio piece in which she interviewed and narrated how her grandmother prepared meals for her family.” 

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Beyond academics, Brunson is an active leader on campus. She serves as secretary of the Marauder Land Media Group, where she helps write scripts and contributes to reporting efforts. She is also the clarinet section leader for the Invincible Marching Marauders, a member of the poetry and performing arts group Illmatic Expressions, and captain of Central State’s trivia team, which has placed in the top 16 nationally in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge for the past two years. 

Brunson, who is a member of the Central State University Honors College, hopes to leverage her REACH experience to explore career opportunities in communications and archiving after graduation. She is also considering pursuing a master’s degree in the field. “This program will help solidify my career path,” she said. “I’m still figuring out my niche, but archiving has been an exciting possibility I hadn’t considered before.” 

For current and future Marauders, Brunson offers this advice: “Stay on top of your work. With all the events and opportunities available, it’s important to manage your time wisely. And don’t hesitate to use the resources here at Central State — Career Services, tutoring, academic coaching. There’s a lot of support available to help you succeed.”